Need help setting up my sump

[dmahoney82]

So, I am moving unexpectedly and the 55gal won't be coming with me. Instead I am setting up the 110gal that has been sitting in the guest room for the last 5 months. The 110 is drilled unlike the 55 which has an overflow box. I've never setup a drilled tank before and would appreciate any help/advice given. I am really looking for some different diagrams that I could get some ideas from. originally I was going to make my 55 into the sump, but with my time crunch I don't see that happening anymore. He is what I have deducted from looking at what I have. There are 3 holes drilled with pipes coming up to full water level. 2 pipes are for draining and 1 for return. The sump setup is going to be basic for now with just a skimmer, cheto, external return pump. Anybody have some pictures and diagrams for reference?

 

[mojo]

Do you have any pictures from your 110g tank to help with descriptions?

 

[gwhiz]

FYI--You're really talking about setting up a sump, not a closed loop.

A CL takes water from the tank and pumps it back in the tank to increase flow--usually used instead of powerheads in the tank.

As Chris said--post some pics and let's see what you've got...

 

[dmahoney82]

MY camera in at the new home so I'll post some tomorrow. Sump it is. I just checked out Melev's for a while and understand how to build and set up the sump. The part I'm having trouble grasping are the drain lines. So the water drains down and into the sump, but can the pipes be in the water of the sump and not back up? Maybe I'm just looking into it to much and it really is a simple concept. The drain line in my current setup flows to the top of the water level in the sump(basic bioball setup) which is why I am confused. Also, where is a good place to buy the plumbing parts? And what should I avoid buying?

 

[gwhiz]

The parts are easy--you can use flex pvc (Spaflex) or rigid PVC like the drain lines in your house. It's all Home Depot or Lowe's stuff for the most part.

And yea, water will just fall down the hole and into your sump...but we'll be a lot smarter about answering your questions after we see pics!

 

[dmahoney82]

Alright here are the pics.

Tank:

>http://i351.photobucket.com/albums/q454/dmahoney82/tank001.jpg</a>

Stand:

>http://i351.photobucket.com/albums/q454/dmahoney82/tank002.jpg</a>

Notice the three pipes in the tank. The two on the outsides are the same at the top w/90 elbows. I'm guessing those are for draining. The middle has 45 degree elbows and looks like it should be the return. Thanks for any input. I'm finishing up the stand today. It used to be painted gray w/ white and black splattered paint. I started sanding the posts and found out they were oak! I dont know what I am going to do with the openings between the posts, either acrylic making the sump partial show tank or waynscoat. Any ideas?

 

[dmahoney82]

any way to rename this thread?

 

[gwhiz]

That's a wierd set up IMHO. With the screens on the top they all look like drains! Those screens will kill any return flow and are unnecessary--snails aren't going to crawl upstream loose the screens on the pipes that you chose as returns. That 90 bend in the center pipe isn't ideal for flow either, but given where the tank is drilled you options are limited.

I'll let someone else comment as I don't have experience with this type of setup.

As for the stand--my sump has never been a showplace (not that I've really tried to make it so) and acrylic will allow noise transmission--I'd try to enclose it somehow. Perhaps an internal frame (2x2's?) skinned with plywood so you essentially have a box inside of the posts. If you skin it with 3/4" oak plywood it'll cut noise considerably--wainscoting or 1/4" would work, but it'll let noise through (yea--I'm a bit of a noise freak--I'd rather hear my TV than my tank.) If you want the wainscoting look you could glue 1/4" wainscoting to 1/2 plywood. Whatever you skin with, make sure that you've got a way to get the sump back out without destroying the stand!

I don't know why you can't make the 55 into a sump (assuming it fits between the posts!) You'd just need to add some baffles....

 

[mojo]

Thread renamed.

I agree- it's an odd configuration, but can be worked with. You may be better off adding in an internal overflow box which goes the full height of the tank, and encloses one or two of those pipes.

I'd personally consider making a corner overflow/box (on the left hand side), and possibly drilling a secondary hole in that box. If you had two holes within the overflow, you could add a bulkhead and just a plug to the other existing holes (or an actual closed loop).

Let me know if that doesn't make sense... it's hard to describe using only text.

 

[kwl1763]

I agree given what it is here is what I would do.

Use the middle hole for the return. Build overflow boxes around the other 2 for drains and put durso's straight up from those holes.

A better alternative in my mind would to drill one more hole on the right side as Chris suggested and build 2 corner overflow boxes and then you can use the middle two for returns. When designing the return piping you will run it up to the surface and drill some anti siphon holes as part of the solution!

 

[dmahoney82]

I am thinking that I am going to keep the ouside pipes for draining and cover them up with LR. I am going to remover the 90elbow on the center pipe and make the pipe straight like the others and keep the top minus the screens. I don't mind converting my 55gal into a sump I just don't know what to do with my fish and corals. Just about every piece of LR in my tank now has corals growing on it somewhere. I can remove some pieces but others are too well established to try and remove. How long can I keep I safely keep corals and fish in the whatever large containers I find tommorrow? I'm going to need a couple days for the newly made sump to dry and then setup. Not to mention the new sand and LR I'll be putting in. I havent moved my tank in 3 1/2 years so this is why I'm little lost in this whole new tank/move thing.

 

[mojo]

dmahoney82;248084 wrote: I can remove some pieces but others are too well established to try and remove.

Hogwash! I just removed all the rock and corals from my 240g tank, and some of those corals were 8" in diameter and encrusted all over the rock. It just takes a little time and patience. A grinder with a tile cutting blade helps, too. :up:

How long can I keep I safely keep corals and fish in the whatever large containers I find tommorrow?

Go pick up a 50g, 100g, or 150g rubbermaid horse trough from a tractor/feed store tomorrow. Add some existing live rock and you're good for a couple days. Add a skimmer and makeshift lights, and you can push it to a couple weeks.

Not to mention the new sand and LR I'll be putting in.

Skip the sand right now - it won't do you any good and will just get in the way for the moment- you can add it after things settle down.

As for the LR, you'll most definitely want to make sure it's cycled before moving your corals into the tank; otherwise you'll lose them due to a cycle.

Depending on your plans for the live rock, I'd highly recommend waiting until you get that LR and it's cycled before moving anything. If anything, get your rubbermaid container, move the corals, and put the LR in the new tank, and let it cycle while your corals chill in your rubbermaid.

 

[dmahoney82]

Thanks for the tips Mojo. I finished sanding and staining the stand today and plan on applying the polyurethane tomorrow as well as cleaning equipment. Friday I'd like to get the tank on the stand and fill 'er up and check for leaks as well as start the plumbing. If all looks good I will be moving everything into a large container Sat and hopefully have to get the 55 cleaned out and install the baffles. Then test the sump Monday and hopefully if somehow the stars align have the tank fully functional Monday night.

Anybody have a large 100+ gal tub I could borrow for a week or two? I can put down a deposit if wanted. I like to avoid buying a huge container that I am only going to use briefly.

 

[mojo]

dmahoney82;248097 wrote: Anybody have a large 100+ gal tub I could borrow for a week or two? I can put down a deposit if wanted. I like to avoid buying a huge container that I am only going to use briefly.

I have a 100g one you can borrow for free. Be aware that it cracked on the bottom and I've repaired it with epoxy, and it no longer leaks, but there's always a chance it could leak again. The price is right, though...

 

[chicagoman_35]

I have a 50 or so gallon rubbermade can on casters with bulkheads and an external pump hooked up. I use it for mixing new sw. You can borrow if ya like, you would need to pick it up and drop it off tho

 

[chicagoman_35]

I am in lawrenceville

 

[dmahoney82]

Thanks Chicago, but Mojo is a little closer to me. Thanks for the sketches Booky. I am really trying to stay away from any kind of over flor box setup. It hard to tell from the pictures but the closest pipe to the back of the tank is 4 1/2 in out and the pipe on the right is 6 1/2 in out from the back and I don't want to lose that depth. This isn't going to be a permanent setup. I have already pictured my new setup with this stand but that involves cutting holes into walls and setting up the sump in another room. Thanks for all the help everybody, I'll take some picks this weekend of the progress.